This band was unusual in that none of its members were previously known to me being (to the best of my recollection) students from the Acocks Green area. I can't remember any details of musical activities other than one or more visits to a flat in the area and a gig at Henry's Blueshouse supporting Bakerloo Blues Line. Probably the most memorable things about the band were its name and the material which was heavily derived from the highly influential Taj Mahal album of 1967.
Open Air Gig - Summer 1967 - Calthorpe Park, Birmingham
Left to Right : Pete Webb, Stuart Scott
By this time Pete had left The Image and we formed this heavy rock trio playing material by Cream, Taste and Hendrix. The band rehearsed at the Midlands Arts Centre at the time when band activity was at its height. We drove around in high style in the bass player's blue 17cwt transit with the band's name in large letters on the side and an ambulance bell on the roof. We performed at the Avery summer fete, the Plaza Oldhill and Thimblemill Baths in Smethwick. At the latter gigs we were soundly ignored by the crowds due to the uncommercial nature of the material which was hampered also by Pete's barely adequate vocals. The band recorded some (possibly two including a Taste number) tracks at Tetlow's recording studios ("Echo Tetlow's") on the Stratford Road. Dissatisfaction with the lack of musical progress led to an acrimonious split.
Rehearsal - Midlands Arts Centre
Left to Right : Stuart Scott, Pete Webb
This band formed for a one-off free concert in the main theatre at the Midlands Arts Centre and comprised the current Tendency Jones line-up plus Richard and Alan from Glad Stallion. The material was mainly TJ's set with extended soloing from all parties and 12-bar blues jams. The high-volume set was well received by the captive MAC audience. A recording exists (existed) of the proceedings. The gig was particularily memorable from the equipment point of view as I used a Marshall 50 into a Marshall 100 plus 2 Marshall 4 x 12's - everything was flat out and the Gibson 335 produced an awesome sound.
This band was formed on a similar basis to scratch band (1) and performed a one-off gig at a college which may have been some distance from home. The off-stage events at the gig were fairly riotous culminating in Bryan falling backwards down the stairs from the stage to the dressing room severly bruising his ribs.
E-mail to : em89@bcs.org.uk
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